I Think I Got Ripped Off By An Ebayer

[canegrl04]

I purchased a cell phone last month.The Seller receieved payment July 21.First they said it would take 14 days for my check to clear.Last Friday they said they were waiting for it to clear becasue it takes 10 days. I am suspicious of the phone number they supposedly fixed up for me.I live in the 903 area code and they said my number has a prefix of 274,which doesn't sound right becasue it usually is 454 or 455.Should I go ahead and leave negative feedback?

[GalvestonDuck]

I'd say go for it since it's been a month since they received payment and, therefore, obviously over a month since the auction ended. If they haven't communicated honestly with you, the other bidders need to know. And since you paid with a check via mail, I think you can to go the post office and file a mail fraud claim. I had to once, but it was with a company, not an Ebay seller.

[streetsoldier]

Send them an internal message, stating that you expect the item within five days, or you WILL not only leave a negative feedback, but report them to Ebay as well for fraud.

[canegrl04]

Thanks guys .I am fed up with this person

[streetsoldier]

I have a similar problem with an Ebay seller...but he/she lives in Haifa, Israel, and I'm wondering if he/she's still alive, or the items displayed have been destroyed. The seller's Ebay site hasn't been up for a month.

[canegrl04]

I left a message for the seller informing them that if I don't reveive the phone by Friday,I will leave negative feedback.

[Janice]

It is real important you read their percentage of feedback before you ever buy something from them. Also, do not buy from new sellers or someone who has below 99%. You need to get PayPal. With PayPal, you can request a refund on merchandise not received or you can file a complaint with Ebay.

[nholley]

Has the check cleared? If it hasn't then you just need to ask them what is going on, and follow through on the end of the week limit. If the check has been cashed and you have not received the item or tracking number then report them to ebay for fraud and consider the negative feedback. If the chack hasn't been cashed then cancel the check and move on. The number is nothing to be concerned about, when acquiring a new number you can pick the area code and that is obviously just the one they picked for you. You can change the number when you receive the phone. Sometimes negative feedback is warranted but remember they have the option to reply to your negative feedback.

As Janice said, always check their feedback and ebay rating and in future use PayPal. As PayPal and ebay are the same company any disputes are resolved quickly and your purchases are guaranteed.

[CajunMama]

I'm so sorry to hear you got ripped off. We just purchased a cellphone on ebay for my daughter, a sony eriksson j300a. We won the bid (only bidder) for $80 + $20 shipping. We would have had it on Monday if the post office had left it at the door. Our seller had 100% feedback and had been selling on ebay for about 5 years. We did use paypal for payment.

[southerngale]

Has the check cleared? If it hasn't then you just need to ask them what is going on, and follow through on the end of the week limit. If the check has been cashed and you have not received the item or tracking number then report them to ebay for fraud and consider the negative feedback. If the chack hasn't been cashed then cancel the check and move on. The number is nothing to be concerned about, when acquiring a new number you can pick the area code and that is obviously just the one they picked for you. You can change the number when you receive the phone. Sometimes negative feedback is warranted but remember they have the option to reply to your negative feedback.

As Janice said, always check their feedback and ebay rating and in future use PayPal. As PayPal and ebay are the same company any disputes are resolved quickly and your purchases are guaranteed.

That's the worst thing about the positive/negative/neutral setup. If canegrl04 paid by the time payment was due and kept her end of the bargain, she should be able to leave negative feedback if she doesn't receive the phone (or it takes forever) without the fear of retaliatory negative feedback.
I've bought and sold a lot on Ebay. When I sell something, if the buyer pays on time, I leave them positive feedback as soon as I receive payment. They deserve it and it would be wrong for me to hold back and make sure they're happy with the item before I give them the feedback they deserve. They kept their end of the deal. All sellers should do this.

[sweetpea]

I just won an auction on Sat night. I paid right away with paypal. Received e-mail this morning from seller saying he received payment and gave me my UPS tracking number. He also said he has left positive feedback for me. So far he has been great, I never leave feedback for the seller till I actually receive the item. Once I receive then I will leave feedback.

[Janice]

PayPal is the only way to go. You get protection if something goes wrong. And, if the seller has sold a ton and has 99-100% feedback, you are pretty safe.

[O Town]

Have you filled a dispute with eBay yet? You can file a dispute for "Items not recieved" and then go from there. I would also send them a PM telling them they have 5 days to resolve this or you are filling a dispute and leaving Neg. feedback. After you sign in you need to find the dispute console you can find it at the bottom left of your 'My eBay' page. Good luck.

[beachbum_al]

I would try to contact the seller again and tell them that they have two days to get back with you. If they do not you will file negative feedback and contacting ebay over this matter. This is one of the reasons I like paypal because I can get my money back. I have only once had to do this but it helps knowing that you have a little bit of security. This is also one of the reasons i have stop shopping on ebay. Too many con artists on there.

[gtalum]

PayPal is the only way to go. You get protection if something goes wrong. And, if the seller has sold a ton and has 99-100% feedback, you are pretty safe.

But only use PayPal by funding it through a credit card. If you link it to a checking account, they can really nail you any time they choose. Read the terms and conditions.

[coriolis]

I have paypal linked to a checking account, but its a separate account from my main one that I use for bills. I only transfer money into it when I buy something. Most of the time the account has less than a dollar in it. I've never had a problem